Ailsa’s Blog Post

Ailsa’s Blog Post

When I found out I had passed the Business Data Partners assessment day and had been offered a graduate position with the company, I was beyond excited and thrilled – but also slightly overwhelmed as to what to expect from my new role, the data industry and the consultancy business model.

If you are reading this I hope you are as enthused as I was, and still am, by BDP and you can gain some insight into the graduate experience at the company. I promise you will not be disappointed with the graduate role.

If like me you are interested in new ideas, communication, collaboration and problem solving you will certainly find the ethos of the company exciting. Although, I applied for the graduate programme with very little mathematical or computing background, there are plenty of other skills from my undergraduate degree in Business Analysis and Technology and MSc in Project Management that align with the key attributes of a BDP consultant. There is no need to feel intimidated by the “data” aspect of the job. The graduate programme fully equips you with the training, skills and expertise needed to thrive as a Graduate Consultant in the company.

Let me explain my experience of the 8-week training programme. First, you need to be excited by the notion of travelling because as of week 1 you will be the up and down country to meet your colleagues and peers both within the graduate programme and beyond. From internal courses on data lifecycle and BDP processes to external training with SAS, you will get an end to end perspective of what the job entails. This will set you up with the confidence and ability to excel in your role. By being fully immersed in the business you really get to understand and witness the BDP values come to life. It might sound clichéd, but the BDP culture and values are truly evident in everyday life and are one of the reasons I would strongly recommend this role.

I underestimated my own abilities – just how much you can learn in a matter of two months will surpass your expectations. Alongside the formalities of working life, the social side of BDP is great – you will get to know everyone on a first name basis and spend time with people from all over the company and country. After training, there are opportunities to get involved in fundraising and events. To date, I have been involved in a Movember campaign, Bake off week and planning the Christmas party!

You are never alone at BDP with your line manager, graduate coordinator and personal buddy. There is always someone to talk to and no question is a stupid question. This is particularly important to note when you are placed on a real-life client project, it is where the fun begins. The turnaround from theory into practice was overnight. I was straight out of training and into a client site environment with a live project to get stuck into. Everything leading up to this point is valuable and I know I will draw on all aspects of my time at BDP throughout the project.